Achmat Dangor, portrait taken in Udine, Italy on 5 May 2006 (Leonardo Cendamo / Getty Images via Gallo)
Achmat Dangor said in an interview with Elaine Young in 2002: “Writing is far more dynamic and sensitive, and it engages human beings in different responses; the reader and the writer relate to each other in different ways.”
In honour of the South African writer and activist Achmat Dangor, the Achmat Dangor Literary Prize is set to support a young, previously disadvantaged writer in financial need. This prestigious award will enable the recipient to pursue an MA in Creative Writing at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, ensuring Dangor’s enduring legacy inspires new generations of literary talent.
(See application details below)
Distinguished Professor in the Creative Writing Department at Wits University and acclaimed author Ivan Vladislavić says:
Achmat Dangor made an inestimable contribution to South African literary culture. Both deeply political and resolutely independent, he brought a wide-ranging, cosmopolitan flair to local questions and wrote some of the most provocative, challenging works in our literature, fictions that present a rich sense of life and a complex moral universe.
He adds:
The Achmat Dangor Literary Prize, which will give a young writer the opportunity to study and write, is a fitting tribute to Dangor, and the Creative Writing Department is delighted to provide a home for the recipient.
Achmat Dangor’s career began in Johannesburg and extended through his studies at Rhodes University. His poetry collections, such as Bulldozer (1983) and Private Voices (1992), highlighted the brutal realities of racial segregation and societal marginalisation. His novels, including Waiting for Leila (1981), The Z Town Trilogy (1990), and the internationally acclaimed Kafka's Curse (1997), delved into themes of alienation and identity. Bitter Fruit (2003), a finalist for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award and the Man Booker Prize, explored the scars of post-apartheid South Africa.
In addition to his literary contributions, Dangor was a formidable activist. He was banned from 1973 to 1978 for his anti-apartheid activities and was a crucial figure in organisations such as Black Thoughts, the Writers’ Forum, and the Congress of South African Writers (COSAW). His leadership extended to NGO roles, including the Kagiso Trust, the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund, and the Nelson Mandela Foundation, where he served as CEO from 2007 to 2013. He also represented the Ford Foundation in Southern Africa and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the South African Literary Awards (SALA) in 2015.
Phillippa Yaa de Villiers, a Lecturer in the Creative Writing Department at Wits University and a celebrated poet, says:
Achmat Dangor was a literary pioneer who fearlessly engaged the dysfunction, violence, and alienation of society through believable characters and authentic settings, harnessing his imagination to tell stories that felt true. Dangor, like Mathews and Mattera, his cherished contemporaries, brought Black experience into literature at a historical juncture when it was literally against the law for writers to write. It is an honour for our department to promote his legacy, for the world still needs that particular poetic: a combination of compassion and courage, a scholar of literature, and a great imagination.
The Achmat Dangor Literary Prize is now open to young writers working in all genres (poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction), with applications closing on September 15, 2024. The recipient will be announced in October 2024, Dangor’s birthday month, during a ceremony featuring readings of his work and an exhibition of archival materials. The prize will be awarded every two years and will support at least four students over the next eight years.
Eligible candidates are young, previously disadvantaged writers who have completed or are completing their honours degrees. Candidates without such a degree may be considered based on their writing or an extensive publishing history. The prize is open to South African citizens and citizens of other African countries residing in South Africa whose writing reflects or engages with South African experiences, themes, voices, and the country's place in the world. Applications should include a comprehensive CV, a cover letter detailing their motivations and challenges, and a substantial writing portfolio. The selection process, overseen by the Wits Creative Writing Department and a selection committee, will ensure fairness and transparency.
The Achmat Dangor Literary Prize is a vital component of the Achmat Dangor Legacy Project (ADLP), which seeks to preserve and celebrate Dangor’s life and work. The Prize is hosted by the Creative Writing Department in the School of Literature, Language and Media in collaboration with the Faculty of Humanities at Wits University.
For more information, please contact the Wits Creative Writing Department or visit their website: https://www.wits.ac.za/creativewriting/.
The Achmat Dangor Literary Prize is dedicated to nurturing young, previously disadvantaged writers by providing the financial support needed to pursue an MA in Creative Writing at Wits University. This prestigious award aims to ensure the enduring legacy of Achmat Dangor, an acclaimed South African writer and activist.
Application Criteria
Who Can Apply: Young creative writers working in any genre (poetry, fiction, script writing, creative nonfiction).
Eligibility:
- Young, previously disadvantaged writers.
- Completion of, or current enrolment in, an Honours Degree or equivalent writing/publishing experience (candidates without an Honours may be considered based on their writing or extensive publishing history).
- Open to South African citizens and citizens of other African countries residing in South Africa whose writing reflects or engages with South African experiences, themes, voices, and the country's place in the world.
- Open to writers working in English or in the diverse “Englishes” that reflect the fluid mix of languages in South Africa.
Application Requirements
CV: A comprehensive curriculum vitae.
Cover Letter: A detailed letter outlining motivations and challenges faced, as well as:
- A brief explanation of your reading and writing interests;
- details of your publishing history;
- a brief sketch of the project you would like to explore should you be awarded the Prize.
- your motivations for writing;
- your personal challenges or obstacles to writing; and
- any awards or accolades received for your writing.
- whether you would still like to be considered for the MA in Creative Writing at Wits if you do not receive the award.
Writing Portfolio:
- If you intend to write a novel, collection of short fiction, or a memoir or work of creative nonfiction, at least fifty pages (1.5 spacing) of prose (fiction or creative nonfiction).
- If you intend to write a poetry manuscript, at least twenty-five poems or twenty-five pages of poetry.
- If you intend to write a play for the MA: a full-length play manuscript.
- You may include examples of your published work, but at least half of the writing submitted should be unpublished. Academic papers, journalism, and press releases will not be accepted as part of the portfolio but can be listed in your CV.
Application Deadline
- Closing Date: September 15, 2024
- Announcement of Recipient: Mid to late October 2024, during a special ceremony celebrating Dangor’s birthday month.
Selection Process
The selection process, overseen by the Wits Creative Writing Department and a dedicated selection committee, will ensure fairness and transparency in awarding the prize.
Prize Details
The Achmat Dangor Literary Prize will be awarded every two years, starting in 2024, supporting at least four students over the next eight years. This initiative is part of the Achmat Dangor Legacy Project (ADLP), which celebrates and preserves Achmat's life and work.
The winner will be expected to attend the award ceremony at Wits University and write two reflective pieces about the award– one upon being awarded the prize and another upon successful completion of the MA programme.
Contact Information
For more information, please contact the Wits Creative Writing Department:
- Email: hardy@wits.ac.za
- Phone: (011) 717 4211
Join us in celebrating the legacy of Achmat Dangor by inspiring the next generation of literary talent. Apply now and take the first step toward a transformative journey in creative writing.